The Durmstrang Exchange
by Vampkiller
Summary: DJ and his father have moved from there home near Durmstrang so DJ's father can accept a new job. But DJ is forced to leave Durmstrang behind and go to Hogwarts. How will he do? What house will he be sorted into? RR please


Disclaimer: Poor me, I don't own anything except my yugioh cards, (including the three Egyptian gods!), a gamecube, a Harry Potter, the Quidditch world cup!! Now I'm rambling. I don't own Harry Potter.  
  
The Durmstrang Exchange  
  
CH 1 The death horse  
  
DJ looked out of the small car window, staring at the river in which the London Bridge crossed. It was teeming with life, from privately owned boats, to huge tanker ships. There was also a wind surfer, or two. In the window, it reflected DJ's messy black hair, and his worn down sweatshirt. Above the car, boxes that contained cauldrons, wands, spell books, and lots more were tied to the top of the car, nearly doubling its height. To DJ's right sat his father, who was driving.  
  
"Hogwarts. I can't believe you're going to Hogwarts!"  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
"What's the matter? Hogwarts is great!"  
  
"I guess, but I'll miss Durmstrang."  
  
"You'll be alright. You know some people at Hogwarts. I bet Professor Trelawny will still be there."  
  
(thinking) "I'd like to know STUDENTS, and better yet, not a nutty one."  
  
"Dad, I don't think she's there anymore. She quit, or something."  
  
"Nonsense. This year will be, hmm. Let's see. I'd say around her 26th year. Oh my, I guess you're right, as usual." DJ sat there listening to his father just talk to himself. DJ was going to Hogwarts because his dad got a new job at the Ministry of Magic in London. He was moving from his old home, near Durmstrang. DJ couldn't complain, though. Hogwarts was said to be the best wizarding school in the world, and he liked to see his father happy. He had wanted this job for years, and now he had finally gotten it. They rode off the bridge towards the center of the huge city. DJ and his father rode past the famous museum at number 12 Grimauld Place put up a couple years ago.  
  
"We'll go see that another time." DJ wasn't usually this down, but the thought of maybe never seeing his friends at Durmstrang again made him really depressed. He was mildly excited about going to Hogwarts, though. Meeting the headmaster, Professor McGonigal made him slightly happier. And, of course, he remembered all of the stories of Harry Potter, who was now an auror. DJ could care less about him, though. He only cared about his future, as an auror himself. DJ was going into his 3rd year. DJ cracked a smile at the thought of which house he'd be sorted into. DJ did research on Hogwarts before they moved, from the book, Hogwarts, a History. DJ knew the four houses, and their characteristics. DJ's father had attended Durmastrang, so he wouldn't know. The car neared a large building with a British flag, and a canopy to the door, labeling the building, "Salem's Haven".  
  
"Here it is! Our Apartment building."  
  
"Apartment building? Aren't those small?"  
  
"Not this one, son! You see, this is a witches and wizards apartment. No muggles aloud, for good reason. Do you remember the tents we used at the Quidditch Cup last year?"  
  
"Yeah, they looked small on the outside, and huge on the inside."  
  
"That's what these apartments are like. Huge!"  
  
"To bad I won't be here for long. School starts in a couple weeks."  
  
"That's right, and don't forget, we have to shop in Diagon Alley." DJ looked up. He had totally forgotten. Diagon Alley was the best wizarding shop strand in the world. DJ was getting a lot of the best things lately.  
  
"More like GET to shop, Dad!"  
  
"I know, I'll be doing some for myself. Which reminds me, your birthday's next week. I'll get you almost anything you want. Except a friend, or something. Can't buy you that."  
  
"Maybe you can. How 'bout an owl?" DJ looked at his father hopefully.  
  
"Good thinking. We'll get one when we're there." The two parked the car, got out and stretched their legs. DJ's father pulled out his wand, and performed a security charm. DJ's backpack was extremely heavy, holding a laptop, his 13 inch, Cedar wand, which held a dragon's heartstring in its core. It also held favorite books, and three thick spell books. It wasn't normal for a witch or wizard to have a laptop, but DJ was a bit more organized than most wizards. But he knew it wouldn't work in Hogwarts. He had looked up a powering spell, though. It worked for a while on his muggle machine, but wore off after a while. He wondered how students and teachers would react to his bring of a muggle item. They neared the entrance to the large building, and entered. Inside looked like any muggle facility, but DJ noticed the Hogwarts coat of arms in the corner. What he saw next surprised him. Down the hall to the right, a thestral was walking by, sniffing around for food. DJ chuckled as the winged black horse knocked the chandelier as it raised its head, sniffing the air.  
  
"You can see that thing? Or are you just laughing at the fact that my chandeliers move on their own?" "Yes, I can see it."  
  
"I'm sorry." The apartment manager looked at him with a sorry face, and DJ knew what he was talking about. Everyone knew that one could only see a thestral if one had witnessed death. That brought DJ back to the fact that he had no mother anymore. DJ witnessed her death the day he was born. He wasn't aware of what happened at the time, he just knew she was gone. DJ didn't dwell on this thought long, because the manager was shooing the thestral out of his building. DJ looked at him stupidly waving on the opposite side of the hall that the creature was actually on, for he could not see it. DJ took out a sketchpad and quill and began drawing the thestral. He then decided to draw in the manager shooing in the wrong direction.  
  
"See, dad, this is what they look like."  
  
"Hmm. A drawing of one. The pictures in the book are the ones I couldn't see."  
  
"I could see them. It's because they were actual photographs. DAD! Look out!!" The thestral flew low out of the hall straight towards the door, where DJ and his father were standing. The apartment manager looked at DJ and his dad, comparing them in his mind to mimes. DJ flew into his dad, knocking him out of the way of the charging beast, the force of it flying blowing their hair and shirts. The manager screamed as the windows shattered what looked like by themselves, but DJ witnessed the thestral bash through the windows, and fly upward. A large group of muggles gathered around the shattered glass, and just stared in the building.  
  
"Can muggles that witnessed death see the thestrals?"  
  
"See for yourself." DJ looked out of the empty frames of windows, and two muggles stared up and pointed to the sky.  
  
"It's okay. They'll see it as they're just seeing things. Ugh, now, I'll have to wait until tonight to fix my windows. Now. Who are you?" DJ and his father registered at the apartment and were given the keys to their room on the 13th floor.  
  
"Tomorrow, we'll go get the stuff from the car, and head to Diagon Alley. Sound Alright?"  
  
"Yeah, sounds good." DJ seemed a bit happier, and thought maybe Hogwarts wouldn't be so bad.  
  
Okay, I know it's kinda SHORT, but, it'll get better. CORRECT me if anything was wrong from the story at all. C ya! -DJ 


End file.
